Reiterating his allegation that Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray had incited him to attack the house of senior leader and former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, Shiv Sena rebel Sada Sarvankar said it was all a conspiracy to deny him the nomination in favour of television compere Adesh Bandekar in Mahim.

Sarvankar has now switched over to the Congress to be the party’s nominee from Mahim. “It was difficult to tell (me) that Sada Sarvankar would not be given the candidature, (and) this was one of the designs drawn up,” Sarvankar told Newsline. “It is almost like this... I was angry and frustrated, an activist was implicated and denied (the nomination) through a design.”

Sarvankar, who has been a corporator, standing committee chief and vibhag pramukh, had alleged earlier also that Uddhav had incited him to attack Joshi’s house. Joshi was pitching for his aide and former mayor Milind Vaidya from the constituency. After the Sena nominated Bandekar, Sarvankar joined hands with industries minister Narayan Rane to secure the nomination from the Congress.

“The way in which I was denied (the nomination) was insulting. Conspiracies were hatched to deny me the nomination. I took the decision (to join the Congress) as I had no option,” said Sarvankar, adding that he would have relented if the leadership had explained the reasons for the same.

Sarvankar, however, said he would gradually reveal all details of the “conspiracy” hatched against him. On questions about the discontent in the Congress over his nomination, Sarvankar said such infighting was prevalent in all political parties, with a section of the Sena also being sore at Bandekar’s nomination.

... contd.